Yes, its gotten cold outside. We have to have some kind of winter right? We are finding, for us, plenty of local produce, and we have tons of happenings and events to share.

WHAT’S IN SEASON NOW

Markets are showing some greens, lettuce, kale, and spinach, but they tend to sell out early. There may also be limited supplies of indoor specialtyitems at the Logan Square Farmer’s Market including cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers (yes!). We see a good abundance and variety of root vegetables and storage crops. At Genesis Growers, at Green City Market, their table had all these kinds of winter squash: Red Kabocha, Buttercup, Tirks Turban, Baby Hubbard, Butternut and Red Kuri. They also had red and golden beets, kohlrabi, purple top turnips, celeriac (celery root), napa cabbage, green cabbage, black spanish radishes and carrots, plus a few other items. Nichols Farms, at Evanston and Green City, had a ful table including carrots, a plentiful selection of apples, Italian holster garlic, sweet candy onions, lots of potato varietals (kennebec, norland red, red thumb, ozette, Russian fingerling, rose finn fingerling, russina blue and yukon gold). Nichol’s also had a huge supply of their popcorn kernels and a really picturesque selection of radishes: winter rose, spanish black green meat, daikon and watermelon/beauty heart. The other farmers at Green City had a great deal of variety as well, Orianna was there was her delicious Asian pears.There’s always mushrooms and sprouts.

Just because we remain long in root vegetables and frost-kissed spinach, does not mean you should only favor fresh foods this time of year. As Rob reports, at the Downtown Farmstand, one can find good quality, locally grown beans and peppers dried and ready to withstand the winter. A few farmers at Evanston and Green City also carry dried beans. Beyond that, there’s Michigan fruits preserved, including what Peter Klein at Seedlings is doing, and all the tomato products sold by Rob’s wife at Tomato Mountain.

On top of these specialists, we still find local foods here and there at neighborhood grocery stores. Caputo’s still has Illinois grown beets. Michigan apples are still plentiful, although the varieties are falling off.

Chicago - Food on the Dole – Winter Market Salon 7-10pm The Food on the Dole Salon is led by Chef Hugh Amano: part underground dinner, part cooking lesson, all delicious food that we cook and eat together. More information on this and other Salons can be found atFood on the Dole. Questions? Email Hugh at hughamano@yahoo.com. $50 Reserve a place here.

Chicago - Logan Square Kitchen Pastry Market 2333 North Milwaukee Ave – 10-3pm – LSK brings together a lot of the artisanal bakers, chocolatiers and artisans who use their kitchen. This is a very tasty opportunity with lots of opportunity to sample, check out and buy some of the goods that are being made in the kitchen.

Chicago - Pasta Puttana Chef’s Table Series “Salty, Tart, Savory & Sweet” 1407 W. Grand Ave 6:30-8:30pm $85 BYOB Reservations 773-439-9623 or email Jessica at Jvolpe@pastaputtana.com Oyster Agnolotti will be one of the starts of this 5-course feast based on locally sourced and sustainable ingredients, set in the Pasta Puttana space.

Oak Park – Dennis and Emily Wettstein bring their organically raised meats and eggs to the Buzz Cafe. They will be selling from 12 until 3 PM – 905 S. Lombard – You place orders with the Wettstein’s via email at dennis@wettsteinorganicfarm.com.

Chicago - The Trencherman Pop-Up Dinner at Logan Square Kitchen -2333 North Milwaukee 7:30pm -9:30pm Buy tickets here This is an opportunity to taste and try the food of Chefs and brothers Michael and Patrick Sheerin along with owners Matt Heisler and Kevin Heisner. The pop-up will feature a five course tasting menu with beer, wine and cocktail pairings by Trenchermen Beverage Director, Tona Palomino (wd~50) and will be a chance to preview dishes from the highly anticipated restaurant.($120/person)

New! Chicago – #Cleetusfeedus (On Twitter) Sko-fit Eatin’ Fit Services and City Provisions Dinner 6-8pm $51 Buy tickets and see menu here... The menu is based on locally sourced, healthy ingredients and particpants will Tweet about it and eat, to promote and spread the news about local and healthy eating. 1818 West Wilson.

Chicago – Slow Food Chicago Annual Meeting – Peggy Notebaert Museum 2 -4pm The keynote speaker will be Greg Hall, founder of Virtue Cider and former brewmaster of Goose Island, to talk about his experiences as an entrepreneurial ciderist and two-time delegate to Terra Madre. Greg will also share samples of his new hard cider – a truly unique “sneak peek” for the Slow Food community in advance of its market launch. The annual meeting will also host a meet-and-greet session where you will be able to meet and talk with Slow Food board members, Greg and past Terra Madre delegates. The Annual Meeting is a free event.

Chicago – Logan Square Kitchen is hosting Bee Movie Week to benefit Chicago Honey Co-op’s efforts to relocate its hives before Spring. (Chicago Honey Co-op lost its land earlier this winter.) They will be screening “The Vanishing of the Bees,” narrated by Ellen Page. Concessions provided by Jason Hammel of Lula Cafe and Matthias Merges of Yusho. $20. Tickets and more information here.

March 4

Chicago – Pleasant Farms in Bridgeport is holding gardening classes on spring planting, seed starts, planter box care and spring bed refreshing to help get you started on your garden. For more information and to register, please call 773-523-7437 or email pleasantfarms@gmail.com. $20. Refreshments provided by Pleasant House Bakery.

Chicago – Quarterly Citrus Canning Workshop – Sponsored by Slow Food Chicago - Held at The Logan Square Kitchen – 6-9pm 2333 N. Milwaukee In this intimate, hands-on workshop Lis David and Zvi Bar-Chaim (owners of Scratch Homemade) will teach you how to enjoy home preserving, even in the dead of winter. You will participate in every step as the group makes delicious and unique Lemon Ginger Marmalade. The class includes all tools and equipments. Organic, domestically grown lemons will be purchased through Dill Pickle Coop. You’ll leave with the knowledge and confidence needed to can at home as well as a few jars of the chutney prepared during class.Order tickets here.

Chicago - Farmer Forum Kendall College 2:30 – 7:30 pm On Saturday, March 10, 2012, Green City Market and Kendall College will host Chris Blanchard for two back-to-back presentations on growing and organizing your small farm business. Join us at Kendall College, 900 N. Branch St. Chicago IL, for this unique educational event! Green City Market vendors can attend for free and $10 for other market vendors in the area.

March 15-17

Chicago Good Food Festival – The schedule is out, go to the link and buy tickets now, it sounds like it is bigger, and bringing together more people focused on all aspects of sustainable, healthy, good, local food and the Chicago food shed than ever before! Beet Editor Rob Gardner is moderating a panel on fermentation, and he and other Beetniks will have a table in the Exhibit Hall. Make sure to say hi.

March 18

Chicago – Pleasant Farms in Bridgeport is holding gardening classes on spring planting, seed starts, planter box care and spring bed refreshing to help get you started on your garden. For more information and to register, please call 773-523-7437 or email pleasantfarms@gmail.com. $20. Refreshments provided by Pleasant House Bakery.

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Clarifiying the mid-February markets: February 19 is the Andersonville Indoor Market at Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 11:30 to 3:30 (not one of the church-based moveable markets formerly known as Markets & Meals for Hope).

BUT….Faith in Place (which is the successor to the Markets & Meals) is sponsoring markets

**Saturday, February 18, 9 to 1, at Glenview New Church, and
**Sunday, February 19, 9 to 1, at St John Episcopal in Old Irving Park